Ben Crenshaw on his final Masters: ‘It’s goodbye time’

Two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw hosted a new edition of his SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio show from Augusta Wednesday night, on the eve of playing in his 44th and final Masters Tournament.

His co-host, Ed Clements, asked him if he’s thought about how he’ll feel or what he will do when he walks off Augusta National for the final time as a competitor.

I guess I’m going to just try to thank as many people as I can. The thing about the Masters here is that they are so great to their champions. They never lose sight that people have won it and they are genuinely very, very kind to them. And people have been kind to me. I’ve known that people have rooted for me and to see them smile and wave and give you thanks is, oh, it’s just … I’ve had it before here, but it’s goodbye time and, yeah, through tears and smiles I want to thank them. … These people make you feel so welcome. I’ve known the staff at Augusta. I’ve known people who come to the tournament and you see familiar faces. And that’s part of the great thing about the Masters, its familiarities. People that you’ve known for a long time. It’s a big, big part of my life. When I’m away from the club at different times of the year I think about it a lot. It’s one of those places where it reaches you very deep. I’ll be proud to play my last round and try to remember the good times, but I’ll keep going back the rest of my life and I’m very content. It is so fascinating watching young players try to figure this place out. It is a great test from a physical standpoint, but it is a mental test. When you’re in the fight there’s nothing like it.